Airborne 12.09.16

Airborne Hi-Def On YouTube

Airborne 12.09.16

Discovery Returns To KSC

The Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery successfully landed at the
Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at Kennedy Space Center, FL, Sunday.
Discovery, riding piggy-back on the modified Shuttle Carrier
Aircraft (SCA), made a sweep of the Brevard County beaches as it
circled for a landing, giving residents a birds-eye view of the
duo.

Cheers from media and Kennedy Space Center employees erupted
when the 747's wheels touched down. Landing on Runway 15, the
vehicle came to a stop where it was then towed to the Mate/Demate
Device (MDD) at the SLF. During the next few hours Discovery will
be lifted off the 747. The vehicle will be backed-out and the
orbiter will be gently lowered to the runway on its landing
gear.

On Monday, the Discovery will be towed by a diesel-powered
tractor to the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) via a two-mile
tow-way strip from the SLF. Once inside the OPF the payload bay
doors will be opened and the materials brought back from the
International Space Station will be unloaded. After Discovery is
inside the processing facility, Mission STS-114 will then be
completed.